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Farmers To Meet On Environment IssuesThe Gippsland Beef and Lamb Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Pilot project team invite all interested farmers and service providers to attend the Inaugural Gippsland EMS Forum. By Department of Primary Industries - 5th August 2004 - Back to News This is to be held on Tuesday August 24, 2004 at the Traralgon Golf course from 9.30 am – 4.00 pm. This forum is the best opportunity to hear from local farmers about their current involvement in EMS and the pilot EMS project underway in Gippsland. The day will include discussing broader environmental issues, networking, learning, and exploring further opportunities such as marketing the product "Enviromeat".
The day is a combination of guest speakers and informal round table discussions.
Speakers include:
- Dianne Sciacca, Managing Director Eco Bananas on "Eco – Bananas - farming with nature - developing and marketing our brand."
- Vicki Mac, Land Connect discussing "Environmental work and the state of threatened species."
- Geoff Park, Biodiversity Manager - North Central Catchment Management Authority on "Linking on farm targets to Catchment targets."Jenny O’Sullivan,
- Chair Gippsland Natural, outlining "Progress with the Gippsland Beef and Lamb EMS project, and challenges and opportunities."Bill Bray, Steering
- Committee Member and currently a participant in the workshops sharing "What EMS means to my farm and my family."
Special guests will include Colin McMicking, marketing coordinator Gippsland Natural; the original Gippsland Natural Working Group farmers; and members of the Gippsland EMS Steering Committee.
Table discussions will enable you to meet farmers and other interested parties from across Gippsland involved in the Gippsland EMS project; share and debate project issues and opportunities, discuss the trial marketing of the product Enviromeat this summer, and challenge each other on how we impact on the broader catchment.
The Gippsland EMS project is funded through the Federal Government’s Natural Heritage Trust, the Department of Primary Industries, Meat and Livestock Australia, the West Gippsland CMA and Gippsland Natural farmers.
For more details and to register please contact Julie Williams at DPI Ellinbank on 56242222.
"EL" COWS MILK ON WHILE OTHERS HOLIDAY
In a departure from tradition, groups of cows at Ellinbank are milking on while their herd mates take their usual annual break. It is all part of the Extended Lactation (EL) project that is studying longer lactations in dairy cows.
Traditionally, cows have 12 months between calvings, milking for about 300 days per lactation. Farmers are finding it difficult to maintain a 12 month inter-calving interval and many are interested in the idea of a longer lactation. The modern dairy cow is capable of producing much higher volumes of milk than that of her ancestors and appears capable of milking for much longer than 300 days.
Before changing from a traditional calving system, there is a lot to consider. For starters, farmers want to be confident milk production would be sufficient to make the change economically viable. At present, we do not have information about how cows produce during longer lactations on pasture based diets.
The Gardiner Foundation and DPI have funded a two-year study at Ellinbank that will provide valuable information about lactations up to 670 days. It will allow comparison with production from two traditional 300 day lactations. The mating of the Extended Lactation cow group has been delayed to allow lactation lengths of 390, 480, 570 and 670 days to be achieved.
The "300-day" cows are currently calving and are beginning their second lactation. Meanwhile the rest of the cows are milking on. Average milk production for the first 300 days was around 270 kgs milkfat and 220 kgs protein per cow. This has comfortably been achieved on a diet of pasture, grain, silage and hays. Daily energy intake has been kept at around 180 MJME. Stocking rate has been 2.5 cows per hectare.
The Extended Lactation cows are currently producing around 16 litres at a 5% F and 3.8% P test. To date the pregnant cows have maintained a similar production level to the non-pregnant cows up until the last 2 months before they were dried off. The difference in production is 1 to 2 litres per cow per day lower (about 14 litres per day).
Interest now lies in the number of cows able to milk on and their comparative production. The trial will finish next May.
For more information contact Greg O'Brien at DPI Ellinbank on 5624 2222.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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